1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exoskeletal apparatus for robotic control and, more particularly to a novel exoskeleton apparatus and method with kinesthetic feedback for robotic control.
2. The Prior Art
Robotic devices are designed to perform certain functions at remote locations under the command of either a person or a computer located at a separate location. Ideally, a human-operated robotic device will not only accurately follow the commands of the human operator but will also feed back to the human a replica of the forces encountered by the robotic device as though the human were performing the tasks of the robotic device. This feedback is known as kinesthetic feedback and is essential for the accurate manipulation of a robotic device. The importance of kinesthetic feedback can be illustrated by the simple experiment of lacing one's shoes while wearing thick gloves. The task becomes virtually impossible if one is also wearing a blindfold. Removal of the gloves provides the person with all of the tactile sensations of the hands so that it is a relatively simple task to lace or tie the shoes even while continuing to wear the blindfold.
This simple experiment readily demonstrates the value of kinesthetic feedback. Research has shown that task speed and other performance measures are increased significantly when kinesthetic feedback is added to visual feedback in the operation of a robotic device. However, the problem is one of providing the operator with a kinesthetic feedback system that is readily adaptable into an exoskeletal control system for robotic manipulation.
In view of the forgoing it would be an advancement in the art to provide a novel exoskeleton for robotic control having kinesthetic feedback to provide the operator with a realistic tactile sensation of the forces encountered by the robotic device controlled by the exoskeleton. Another advancement in the art would be to provide a dexterous, intuitive feedback system to enable the operator to experience the forces encountered by the robot whether these forces are amplified in the case of microscopic robots or attenuated in the case of large robots. Such a novel apparatus and method is disclosed and claimed herein.